Entertainment: How to plan the perfect garden party

ENTERTAINMENT

How to plan the perfect garden party

We chat to Heidi Baury, a Key Account Manager at events company, Salute.

Salute is a one-stop event-support platform offering event planners, agencies and brands comprehensive support, from consultation through to infrastructure supply, staffing and execution. Their experienced team offers full-scale event support for everything from intimate private parties to stadium shows and festivals.

When it comes to sophisticated summer garden parties, the team has over two decades of experience and while a lot has evolved in the event’s planning space, the basics remain the same. Here Heidi outlines the five things to keep in mind when planning a garden party:

Budget and Planning

One of my key things is having a firm hold on how much you plan to spend. For us, it might be a high-end client, but they would still have a budget in mind. That can also determine whether they want if they want to go ‘all out’ or middle of the range or lower. The budget applies to everything from the decor to the cocktails.

Venue

If it’s a garden party, then there is usually little to no infrastructure. For us at Salute this means a ‘dry hire,’ in which we can create the exact experience and ambiance (through bringing in temporary structures and decor) to suit the type of garden party the client wants. For example, if it is going into the evening, do we need to add lighting or fairy lights, is it a sit down harvest table kind of eating experience? Or, must it be more of a cocktails and canope type of vibe? When it comes to the venue is also important to be mindful of what the audio visual requirements might be - if it is a year-end function, birthday party or wedding there might be speeches, etc.

Entertainment

This brings me neatly to entertainment. Entertainment is far more important than many people realise. If there is no ‘action’ then it can very quickly become a boring ‘mingle around’ kind of situation, so I would always suggest some form of entertainment. It doesn’t always need to be a live performer though. For example, if you’re having a garden party, you can bring in garden bowls, or a giant jenga set or some other game. This allows your guests to have some form of activity to do, other than just mingle and drink. In addition a carefully curated playlist (and/or DJ or live performer) is crucial to the ambiance and success of the event.

In fact, when garden parties in particular, I would recommend a saxophonist, a cello, or a violin player. Not necessarily for the entire event but maybe on arrival. At Salute we usually do a full production schedule so that the client knows exactly when what will happen, including when the food will be served!

Catering

Food… You have to feed your guests. Everyone remembers that wedding or party at which they sat around for ages waiting for a morsel – we believe it is crucial to serve the finest food and on a good schedule. When it comes to the menu, we are always particular with dietary requirements, and always try to do Halaal-friendly.

Drinks

At Salute, we have a wide range of bespoke, designer bars to suit all occasions. We also supply additional bar infrastructure, glassware and on-consignment beverages. Our bartenders are also professionally trained and highly experienced and can craft bespoke cocktail menus for your event or put a fresh spin on old classics. Especially with an outdoor and garden party, a beautiful open bar with an umbrella makes for a memorable vibe.